Parenting

Babies come into this world straight from the safety and security of the uterus and it’s no exaggeration to say that that transition is a stressful one. Then, in many cases, hospital procedures that involve weighing, measuring and cleaning baby straight after delivery, delay mum and baby’s skin-on-skin time, which causes further trauma and can have short- and long-term consequences.

Evidence shows that newborns who are placed straight with their mothers after birth have better respiratory, temperature and glucose stability. They also cry less, which shows that their stress levels decrease significantly when placed with mum. Ultimately, an undisturbed hour after birth is a critical period that should not be delayed unless mum or baby are in need of medical assistance. To get more information about the benefits of an undistrubed hour after birth we caught up with antenatal/postnatal doula and breastfeeding counsellor, Andrea Allen of The Doting Doulas. Here is what she had to say…

Just as you’re getting used to being at home with your baby, it’s time to go back to work. Leaving your little one while you return to the workforce can be a daunting prospect. There’s mummy guilt, separation anxiety and a multitude of logistics to consider… and then you throw breastfeeding into the mix. How is that going to work when you and bub are apart for nine hours a day? Well, it has its challenges but it certainly is possible. We caught up with Dru Campbell, midwife and lactation consultant at Health Bay Polyclinic to get her 12 tips for returning to work while breastfeeding. Here’s what she had to say…

Potty training – two words that can bring even the most confident parent out in a cold sweat. But potty training doesn’t need to be hard or stressful. We sat down with parenting coach and author Andalene Salvesen (aka Super Granny) to get her ultimate potty training tips. Here’s what she had to say.

At around six months your baby will probably be ready to begin the weaning process. That means it’s time to go high chair shopping. Unfortunately not all high chairs are created equal so you need to do your homework in order to find something that suits your lifestyle, space at home and your child’s needs. To avoid a purchase that leaves you dreading mealtimes with bub, there are five key questions you can ask yourself before you go shopping. Here’s how to choose a high chair…

Ever wondered what’s going on in your toddler’s head? A lot, is the simple answer. According to infant-development experts the first years of a child’s life is when they are primed to learn. From colours, sounds, smells, movements and touch, they are literally soaking up the richness of their environment like little sponges. As parents it’s our job to enhance their experience and knowledge. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about square-root lullabies or the three Rs. Instead, it’s much more important for bub to learn through play. Here are five fun brain-boosting activities for toddlers.

Getting your baby or toddler into a sleep routine is no mean feat, but while little ones certainly have us jumping through hoops, sometimes parents can actually contribute to the problems. Make sure you’ve got the right approach at bedtime and avoid these 8 common sleep mistakes that new parents make.

Getting a bed-resistant toddler to go to sleep can be extremely frustrating. From endless wailing to constantly getting out of bed, those little munchkins really know how to play the game when it comes to nighttime struggles. Fortunately there are some techniques you can use to avoid toddler bedtime wars. We’ve put together a list of suggestions for mastering a smooth, hassle-free bedtime routine for toddlers.

As a new mum you’re bound to have lots of questions about your newborn. Why does he cry so much? Is it normal for him to have green poop? How much sleep is too much? The list is endless. To put your minds at rest, we sat down with Dr. Mascha Lindemann-Sayed, specialist pediatrician at HealthBay Polyclinic. Here she shares the things pediatricians wish new mums knew.

It’s back-to-nursery time and while you’re probably excited about your little one flourishing in a new and enriching environment, you’re probably equally nervous about the prospect of all the germs and viruses they’re going to be exposed to every day. Of course, some sickness is normal and children develop their immunity by fighting germs, viruses and other organisms. That said, no parent wants to be faced with an endless round of runny noses, ear infections and tummy upsets, which is why there are some healthy practices you can adopt to give your tot’s immunity a boost. We caught up with Julia Youll, Senior Child Health Nurse at HealthBay Polyclinic. Here she talks us through 10 ways to boost your toddler’s immunity before they start nursery.Continue reading “Back-To-Nursery: 10 Ways To Boost Your Toddler’s Immunity”→

The summer holidays are almost over, which means it’s back-to-nursery for your little munchkins. The amount of new things your child needs for the start of term can seem a bit overwhelming, especially if they’re attending nursery for the first time. To help you along the way we’ve put together this selection of things you’re likely to need. From super-cute bento boxes, to backpacks and snack bags, we’ve selected the coolest back-to-nursery products you could wish for. Here are 12 of our favourite back-to-nursery essentials.